The Greatest Sacrifice
by Pixel and Stephanie Forever
Summary: The worst collection of witches gather to take over Cackle's. Nobody finds out until it is almost too late, and the students and staff must fight back. But who, sadly, makes the greatest sacrifice and gives up their life to save everybody else? Rated M for scenes of language, brief budity and tedious dullness from the start
1. Chapter 1

**A New Future Comes**

After setting her paperwork down, Amelia Cackle stood up from the table, turned around and looked at the arrival of her charges. It always pleased her to watch her pupils fly into the courtyard to begin the task of learning more about Witchcraft, and so she stood for just over half an hour as the girls came in and stood around talking for a moment before heading inside. The small door in the heavy wooden doors by Walker's Gate opened, and Cackle saw the most confusing of all the witches-in-training she had ever taught walk through and close it again.

"_Ah, Mildred_" she whispered to herself. Mildred Hubble had started here as a girl with no known magical background, though she must have had it sometime in her family history – the magic in the girl proved that. Cackle had only found out about the girl when a friend told her about the girl with a few 'problems' and that she was unable to find out anything to help her. Being curious in nature, Miss Cackle had written to the family explaining who she was, what the school did and asked Mildred to come to the school during the summer for an entrance examination. Normally this was a formality as most of the girls knew magic for years, and, in most cases, had grown up with at least one magical parent. Mildred Hubble had actually failed most of the exam as she didn't know half of what was required, and her deputy, Constance Hardbroom, had suggested they not admit her. Cackle had almost agreed with the suggestion when she had come upon the last piece of the paper. It involved you using up the remaining exam time to come up with some kind of creativity without using magic – just words. The result had been a story about a giant, two headed dog that argued with itself constantly. The very idea was simply astounding! It was for that reason, and that reason alone, that she had offered the girl a place at the school. When she read through the letters of acceptance, Cackle was therefore surprised to find a reply turning down the place. So much puzzled by this, the Headmistress had gone round to speak to the family – and found the reason why.

"_We're very grateful you offered Mildred a place, Miss Cackle_" Mildred's mother had said. "_We can not, however, afford the fees to send Mildred to your academy. After my husband divorced me, leaving myself and Mildred with very little, I have been forced to work two jobs in order to feed and clothe her. How could I send her to your school?_" she added. "_I'm sorry, Miss Cackle. You must think me awfully rude to have made you come all this way to hear our misfortunes and our refusal_"

"_Not at all, Mrs Hubble_" Cackle had said with a smile. Looking around the small living room in the small house, she could see signs of financial hardship for the Hubbles. "_And as for Mildred here, all you would have to buy is the uniform and broomstick. We provide the potion ingredients, provide them with a room and feed them. We also give each girl most of her own books, though you will have to buy some yourself_"

"_But how?_" Mildred had asked. "_I only have a tiny amount in my piggy bank_"

"_Cackle's offers one witch per entry a scholarship_" Cackle had told them. "_It was set up many years ago, before I took over the running of the academy. It helps the most deserving witch's family to provide them with the uniform, broom, books and other items_"

"_I won't accept charity, Miss Cackle_" Mildred's mother had said. "_We have not sunk that low_"

"_I understand why you think it is charity, but I can assure you that it is no such thing. As you know, many non magical schools have the same thing to help pupils who could otherwise not attend the school, and this is nothing but the same thing. Nobody would know about it except for ourselves and my staff_"

"_Would that mean Mildred could go to your school?_"

"_It would, yes_"

"_Where would we go for everything?_" Mildred's mother had asked.

"_I will send a member of staff to help you with these things_" Cackle had said to them.

"_If it is alright with you, Miss_" Mildred had said, "_I would like to go to your school_"

"_Oh, Mildred_…" Cackle smiled at the memories. If there was one thing in the world she enjoyed, it would be helping to teach young girls in the arts of Witchcraft. Despite getting into many different accidents and scrapes, the girl had always found the courage to do the right thing at the right time. Cackle was also amazed and stunned by the times she had saved the school from terrible ruin – often with the help of her friends. Mildred had, Cackle ran through the list in her mind, saved the school from Cackle's wicked twin Agatha twice, saved herself and the entire year from the Dragon Lord, saved the school from closing down, helped Hardbroom to discover the real fake Lucy Fairweather and saved, despite being officially expelled from the Academy, the entire school from being killed at the hands of the Uninvited. It was only because of a little bit of magic from Hardbroom that Mildred had returned for her forth and fifth years. When questioned about why the Foster's Effect had not produced bad results, Hardbroom had said that her use of magic was to prevent something terrible from happening – something she herself had caused to be.

"I see you are watching the girls come back" the voice of her PE teacher shook her mind out of the thoughts. Imogen Drill poured herself a cup of tea and sat in one of the comfortable armchairs.

"Yes, Imogen. I find it never ceases to amaze me at the start of each new term" Cackle said. "Have you seen Constance anywhere? I have not seen her all day" but Drill shook her head.

"I saw her last night making some kind of potion" the other woman said. "I would say that it was one of those damned Wide Awake things. She keeps the effects something of a secret, though I know it keeps her awake for some time more than normal"

"Constance wouldn't be Constance without her secrets" Cackle said.

"You have known her longer then I have, Amelia. Do you have any idea what makes her so… _odd_?"

"I know all about them" Cackle admitted, turning away from the window. "However, I can not speak of them without Constance's permission. It is something that she would rather remain a secret"

"I sometimes think that it would take away half of the fun guessing if she told us" admitted Drill. "Speaking of guessing, I wonder how our new Head Girl will do this year" she said to Cackle.

"The same way she does everything else, I would expect –make mistakes and learn from them" Cackle accepted a cup of tea from her PE teacher and sat down to sip at it.

"I wouldn't like to be in Ethel Hallow's shoes this term" Drill said.

"Neither would I, Imogen. She takes a smaller size then I do"

"I meant with Mildred as Head Girl"

"I do not think Mildred will abuse her powers, Imogen" said Cackle. "Oh, alright…" she added with a slight smile, "Ethel _has_ been rather nasty towards Mildred for a long time. Still, I do not believe that Mildred will take advantage of her position"

#

Mildred Hubble, Head Girl of Cackle's Academy for Witches, placed her belongings into her room and sat down on the edge of her bed to take a moment from her flight. During the summer break, she had practiced her flying ability in the woods near her home. So long as she kept everything steady, she turned out to be a decent flyer. The only terrible thing that had happened during her summer holiday was the loss of her beloved cat, Tabby. The poor creature had wondered off from the garden and been set upon by stray dogs. Mildred had found him, took him to the vets where he was checked over – but the news was sad. The injuries were too bad to give Tabby a good life, and the kindest thing was to have him put to sleep. She wrapped him in his favourite blanket and buried him at the bottom of the garden – crying all the time as she did so. She supposed that she would need another cat, but the memory of Tabby dying in her arms was too recent for her.

"I thought I would find you here, Mildred Hubble" Hardbroom said a moment before she actually appeared.

"Yes, Miss?" Mildred said.

"Would mind escorting the new girls to the hall for the introductory talk from Miss Cackle?" and Mildred nodded.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" the girl said. Hardbroom hesitated before going away, and she said one more thing to Mildred.

"Your cat… I am sorry to hear of his death. If it helps in any way, you did the right thing in having him put to sleep" the Deputy said.

"It doesn't help to bring Tabby back, Miss, but thank you" Mildred said.

"I owed that cat my life, Mildred. If there is a cat that you wish to have, I would be more then willing to purchase him or her for you"

"Not just now, Miss Hardbroom. It is still a little too soon"

"Well… if there is anything I can do for you…"

"Could you expel Ethel Hallow from the school?" Mildred asked lightly. The corners of Hardbroom's mouth twitched into a half smile.

"Trust you to find another meaning in my words, Mildred Hubble. You had better go and get the new starters in a moment. Please try not to scare them with too many gory details about me"

"Would I do a thing like that, Miss?" Mildred asked – her face one of complete innocence.

"Yes" and Hardbroom vanished.

"Sometimes I don't think she is so bad" Mildred echoed her own words from her first year. Taking off her cloak and straightening her Head Girl badge, she left her room to collect and deliver the first year girls.

"Comparing me to Mistress Broomhead, Mildred?" a ghostly voice said from the air.

"No, Miss" and Mildred gulped and hurried away down the corridor.

# # # # #

They all had the traditional supper of cold liver and onions – except for Enid. It turned out that she had developed allergies to the onions Mrs Tapioca used, so she had a cheese sandwich instead until they could get some different onions for her.

"I can't believe we're the oldest students here" said Ruby.

"For two years!" Enid said. "I miss Fenny and Griz already"

"I wonder how they are doing at college" said Maud.

"Getting up to mischief as normal no doubt" Jadu said.

"Look at Hubble Bubble" Ethel's voice drifted from the next table along. "Showing off her badge… Everyone knows she only got it for saving the school from one old hag. I should have got it for all my hard work over the years" she sneered.

"One hundred and ninety nine lines of 'I will not insult the Head Girl or imply she unfairly got her position'. Give them to Miss Hardbroom in the morning" Mildred told her.

"How dare you give _me_ lines…" Ethel fumed.

"Would you care to make it more, Ethel Hallow?" Jadu asked, but Ethel kept her mouth closed. She had fumed all the summer about how she should have been given the Head Girl position, but Drusilla had said that it was a fair and free vote that elected Mildred as Head Girl.

"Trouble, girls?" Miss Drill came over to them.

"No, Miss Drill" said Mildred. "Ethel insulted me by saying I won the badge by cheating, or at least implied it"

"She gave me lines" Ethel protested.

"How many?"

"A hundred and ninety nine"

"That sounds about fair to me, Ethel. Do the lines as you have been told to do"

"But-"

"Ethel, shut up!" Drusilla nudged her in the ribs. "You don't want any more do you…?" and Ethel glared at her but ate in silence.

#

The Witch looked at the school from a point high in the air.

It would only be a few more months until she got what she wanted…


	2. A Sign Of Things To Come

**A Sign Of Things To Come**

As the year went on, the girls settled into the routine of learning, training and practicing the art of magic. Proving that some things might never change, Mildred still got a lot of things wrong in Potions class. Hardbroom, however, was not as nasty as she had been in previous years, and encouraged her to try again when a Voice Changing Potion came out of her cauldron as a Sex Changing Potion. The Deputy Headmistress still gave her top marks as, turning into a male, the voice _did_ change! When the girl got other work incorrect, Hardbroom offered to spend time after classes helping her to get better. As a result, her failings went down by a little – but it was a beginning. She still got detentions, but not as many as compared to other years.

"Are you coming outside to have a run about?" asked Enid. Hardbroom had been against witches running around the yard at first, but Enid had argued that they sometimes had too much energy that might affect their magic. The teacher had spent two days looking for some kind of other meaning to that, but she could find none at all and decided to approve the plan.

"I'm not sure" said Mildred. "I would rather get on with this work…"

"Whilst your new found devotion to work is admirable, Mildred Hubble" Hardbroom said as she appeared out of thin air, "You should not neglect your friends or take time to relax. Go out and enjoy the time outside" and Mildred smiled and nodded.

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" she said.

"And to think there was a time that girl would do anything to get out of work…" Hardbroom was about to vanish to her office when she spotted a dark figure on a broom hovering in the sky. As she watched, it circled around before heading away at some speed. Sometimes witches and wizards, having gotten themselves lost, used the school as a reference to gain a bearing before heading off to their destinations. She wouldn't know until much later that it was someone wishing to cause them all great harm.

# # # # #

As it turned towards the winter months, Miss Bat began to draw up plans for a Christmas pantomime. Some of the girls came down with flu which caused no end of trouble in dealing with them all. Potions were made to help relieve some of the symptoms, but plenty of rest and hot food was the best method that anyone could think of. Drill made her normal complaint about the fact the school had no windows. If they had some, half of the illnesses would vanish. Hardbroom dismissed the idea as being too trivial and against tradition.

"Now, class" Hardbroom said, "Add the torn bat wings to the mixture and stir for exactly one hundred seconds in one direction before doing it in the other for the same period of time. When you have completed that, take three samples using your beakers and bring them to me with your names on them" and the girls hurried to finish their potion before the end of the class. "Those that are unable to complete their work" she eyed Mildred and Maud, "Will serve detention with me this evening at six and do it then" and she saw Mildred hurry with the wings. As she watched, the girl sometimes dropped a handful onto the floor – necessitating in a mad scramble to pick them up and put them in the cauldron. Waiting for the first samples to arrive, she reviewed the written part of the work already handed in. The potion, one to regrown damaged skin tissue, was complex to make and required the students to read all the texts for a week before actually starting on the potion.

_SMASH_

Hardbroom looked up from the written work to see Mildred and Maud jump away from their work area with some speed. One of the beakers had dropped to the ground and smashed – spilling the contents over the desk and floor.

"Mildred Hubble and Maud moonshine. As you can not complete your practical work, you will both serve detention with me this evening. Get cleaning supplies and clean this up please…"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" they both said, and Hardbroom noticed tears running down Mildred's cheeks.

"We're finished, Miss" Ethel said, handing over three beakers of the potion. It was exactly the right colour and thickness – not that she expected anything less from her or Drusilla. Both of them had top marks in each and every one of the classes, and she couldn't remember a time when they had given her substandard work. The infamous drink incident didn't count as the results were produced by the Foster's effect, and not by something they did to the potion.

"Another set of top marks, Ethel and Drusilla. Go back and write up what you did and if there was any way to imp-" the sound of more things falling to the ground made her look up and she saw Mildred in the middle of an even greater mess. In trying to clean the mess on the floor, she hadn't bother to see if the table top was clear. As a result, she had knocked over the Bunsen burner, the cauldron and the unused ingredients. "MILDRED HUBBLE! CAN YOU NOT DO _ANYTHING_ RIGHT?" she shouted. "I thought you were greatly improving, but it seems as if you are truly the very worst witch ever to attend this school. You will serve detention with me this evening and also come at six each evening for the rest of the week. Now, stop crying you silly girl and get to work cleaning this up" and something extraordinary happened. A white light came from Mildred and shoved Hardbroom off her chair and dumped the older witch on the floor in a heap. She was a little stunned by the fall and need the help of Ethel and Drusilla to stand on her own feet once more.

"Are you alright, Miss Hardbroom?" asked Ethel.

"More or less, thank you, Ethel" Hardbroom said. "Where is Mildred?" the girl was missing.

"She ran off after… that" Enid said, pointing at the open doorway.

"I must go after her at once. Jadu, I trust that you can make sure that everyone finishes their potions?" and the girl nodded. "Just have them leave all their samples on the work surface with their notes" and Hardbroom vanished into the ether.

#

"_Attacked_?" Cackle couldn't believe it.

"That is what I believe I said" Hardbroom said. "And by Mildred Hubble, no less…"

"Come, come" Drill said from the tea urn. "Mildred would never attack a teacher, even if she had good cause for it…" she looked at Hardbroom pointedly.

"What exactly happened, Constance. If you repeat your tale again, we may find a cause and a solution"

"Very well, Headmistress" Hardbroom sat in the chair and took the tea given to her by Drill. "Imogen, it is not really necessary for you to examine my head"

"Then shall I leave the cut to keep bleeding?" asked Drill.

"I am bleeding?" Hardbroom touched the part of her head that hurt the most and found her hand with some blood on it. "I apologise, Miss Drill. I had not realised I had gotten that. Would you mind running to the potion lab and getting a small bit from one of the cauldrons the girls are using? I can see no better way then this to test their potion" and Drill nodded and left the staff room.

"So, Constance" Cackle said, "What happened?"

"Mildred was working with Maud Moonshine as normal. She had a few problems with putting the bat wings into the potions, but that was nothing to worry about. She had dropped one of the beakers and spilt the sample. She stood there crying so I gave her and Maud a detention for this evening. I would have let them go the minute they had remade the potion anyway"

"And that is when she attacked you?"

"I told the pair to get some things to clean the mess up, but she managed to cause a greater mess and so I admonished her and gave her detention for the week for being so clumsy in the potion lab. I would say, with hindsight, I spoke to her a little harshly. Before I could say another word, a white light came from her and threw me off my chair and to the floor"

"She cast a spell?"

"I am not sure, Miss Cackle" Hardbroom sipped more of the tea. "It seemed to come out of her entire body rather then any place in particular"

"I have got the potion" said Drill, bursting though the doorway. "Jadu Wali was about to throw her contents away when I arrived"

"How fortunate" said Hardbroom, knocking back the contents in one quick gulp. She flinched as the skin began to regrow and quickly healed the cut.

"I never thought the day would come that I would have to expel a pupil" Cackle said. Hardbroom was about to say something but was stopped when the sound of running made her twist round on her chair.

"Miss! Miss!" Enid said quickly. "You have to come quickly"

"What is it, Enid?" asked Cackle.

"We went to Mildred's room to see why she did what she did, and she is curled up on her bed and covered in some kind of orange haze" Enid explained as best as she could.

"Orange haze?" the three teachers followed Enid up to Mildred's room where they found her other friends outside.

"Oh, Miss Cackle, Miss Hardbroom, Miss Drill!" Maud said, "Mildred is in so much pain"

"What sort of pain?" asked Hardbroom, pushing the door open to see the girl lying on the top of the bed with the orange haze over her.

"Something like a spasm, Miss" said Ruby. "But she keep clutching her head and stomach when it happens"

"I know you shouted at her and she threw you around, but can you help her?" asked Jadu.

"That is why I am here, Jadu Wali" Hardbroom said primly. A few muttered words and she banished the haze from over Mildred. She checked that the girl was breathing, found she was and started muttering other spells quickly.

"Do you know what is wrong with her, Constance?" asked Cackle.

"I am not sure" Hardbroom replied. "I will have to take some of Mildred's blood and examine it in the potion lab. Unfortunately, I have a lesson in five minutes"

"I'll take it" said Drill.

"Are you sure, Imogen?" asked Cackle.

"I hardly do anything else around here" the PE teacher replied.

"The lesson plan is on the desk in the teaching classroom" Hardbroom said. "All they are to do is read up on the properties of certain potions and to write a three hundred word essay on what they are used for. It is a first year class, non practical and easy for you to handle"

"I'm not sure how to take that, Miss Hardbroom" Drill said.

"I was not being demeaning, but I apologise if I was" Hardbroom said.

"Apology not accepted and accepted" Drill said. Hardbroom raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "I will not speak of this, unless I have reason to do so, if you do a little something" and she whispered something in the Deputy's ear.

"Yes… That would make them listen and obey you more" and she and Drill vanish into thin air – Hardbroom returning a second later.

"Can we help you, Miss Hardbroom?" asked Maud.

"There is nothing that you cou-… Actually, I would like you to collect the following items in the potion cupboard and start a clean cauldron on the heat" Hardbroom said. She felt that they wouldn't like to see them slice into their friend's skin to get a blood sample.

#

News of Mildred attacking Miss Hardbroom had spread like a plague through the school, though the events got a little distorted from retelling. Some students, overhearing the talk of the orange haze, had tried to sneak inside Mildred's room to glance at the girl. Jadu had to give out three detentions before the word spread Mildred was not to be disturbed. Hardbroom spent two hours working in the potion lab to see if there was anything in Mildred's blood work that could explain it. She was no medical person, but she kept up to date with the latest thoughts and theories about science. Once the potion was completed, Hardbroom spooned the stuff into a silver bowl and poured the blood sample in. Once the sample had time to mix in, Hardbroom decanted it and examined the contents. She was surprised by what she found and went straight to the other staff members.

"Araema beans?" Cackle said. "Where did they come from?" she asked.

"I do not know, Amelia" Hardbroom said. "I did not find the beans themselves, but trace elements from them instead. I presume some kind of toxin was extracted from them and placed into something that she consumed. It would account for our inability to get her to move or respond to us when I removed the magical field"

"But what about her pushing you away?" asked Drill. "Enid, Maud, Jadu and Ruby all said that it was pretty bright and something of a powerful magical surge. What do you think could have caused it?"

"Any number of things, Miss Drill. Mildred could have been the victim of a prank, but I do not think this very likely. Why she attacked me is a mystery, but she may have been the subject of some poison and mental control spells and potions" Hardbroom said. "The important thing is that, knowing what she was given, I can brew a counter agent in a matter of an hour or two. The unfortunate side effect will be that the poor girl will be sick once every hour. She will need someone to sit up with her all night to take care of her"

"I can think of at least four people who would be delighted to help" said Cackle with a smile.

"I wonder why someone would want to hurt and attack poor Mildred" Drill said.

"She isn't the person we should be worried about" said a voice from behind them. The cupboard door was open and Bat came out with a worried sort of expression on her face.

"What do you mean, Davina?" Cackle asked.

"I was sat in my cupboard thinking of stuff and I suddenly realised that Mildred wasn't the person meant to be the victim – Constance was"

"I beg your pardon?" Hardbroom raised an eyebrow.

"She has a point, Miss Hardbroom" Drill said in support of the chanting teacher. "You pick on Mildred out of the others here. If someone was to know that, surely they could turn her into some kind of weapon"

"She didn't turn into a gun" Hardbroom reminded her.

"Who was the only one attacked in that classroom?" Bat asked. "None of the girls in there were attacked by the light – just you. Someone could have keyed Mildred to explode magic at you when you said or did something towards her"

"She has a point, Constance" Cackle said.

"I know" Hardbroom agreed. "That is why it is all the more alarming…"

"The main thing is that you can cure her" Drill said.

"And let us keep Mistress Broomhead away from here. If she gets wind of this, she'll be round here like flies on rotten meat" Cackle said.

#

"I am going to give Mildred something to cure her from the poison" Hardbroom told the girls. "Although she is asleep, she will wake up every hour to be sick and then fall asleep again. You are to look after her if she needs anything at all, or to wake me if there are problems"

"Yes, Miss Hardbroom" they chorused.

"Have you any idea why Mildred would attack you like that?" asked Maud.

"I am afraid not" their teacher replied. "But we shall work on those. Mrs Tapioca has kindly made you all hot chocolate in flasks which I have spelled to keep warm"

"What about the Foster's effect?" asked Enid.

"It does not apply, Enid Nightshade. The magic I used for a small purpose was to keep the contents warm as she watched over a sick person – hardly something trivial or selfish reasons. Decide amongst yourselves who will watch her for the first two hours and after that…" Hardbroom opened Mildred's mouth and tipped the potion down her throat.

"I hope she will be alright" said Maud.

"Of cause she will, child. She is not going to get out of detention this easily" and Hardbroom decided the looks she got from the four girls were not worth the joke. Maud elected to take the first two hours, and so they split up for the evening.

#

The witch knew that Hardbroom would have figured out the contents of the potion she had slipped into the drink the Hubble girl had had. It would cause some concern amongst the staff, give them a mystery to try and solve and all the time she would be planning her next attack on the students of Cackle's Academy.


	3. The Needs Of The Many…

**The Needs Of The Many…**

"She has not woken up except to be sick" said Enid, yawning and stretching out as Miss Hardbroom came into the room.

"I did not expect her to be so" Hardbroom said. "She underwent a lot of strain on her magic. That would tire any powerful witch" she checked Mildred's temperature.

"Even a witch as powerful as you, Miss?" asked Enid – face completely innocent.

"I'm not sure if I should thank you or give you detention, Enid Nightshade"

"If detention involves seeing my bed for an entire day, I won't argue the punishment, Miss"

"You and the others may have the day off lessons today, Enid. I will remain with Mildred until she wakes up"

"When will that be?"

"Not for at least another hour" Hardbroom said.

"Will you promise to wake me when she comes around?" Enid yawned again.

"I promise" Hardbroom replied. "Now, off to bed, Enid" and the girl left dragging heavy feet along the floor. After Enid had gone, she ran through a number of tests and all indicated that Mildred would wake up in around an hour's time. They would be able to find out what she had been eating or drinking and find where the sauce of the poison had come from. If this was Ethel Hallow and one of her petty ways of revenge, Hardbroom would have her up for expulsion quicker then you could say 'Jack Robinson'.

#

When Mildred awoke, she could offer no explanation as to the source of her poisoning, and she was most alarmed to hear she had attacked Hardbroom with magic. Cackle spent nearly an entire afternoon convincing her that she was clearly not herself, and that she was sure Mildred would never have attacked Hardbroom under any other circumstances. It wasn't for another two days that was well enough to return to lessons and a careful watch on her revealed that she had no long lasting effects such as diminished motor skills, significant memory loss or other ails. With the little excitement other and done with, Mildred and the others helped Miss Bat prepare for the pantomime, and it seemed as if the Chanting Teacher was determined to put on a better one then last year when she had been away on a chanting trip of the Himalayan temples.

"What about here?" Enid, Maud and Ruby were shifting a tree into place by the stage.

"Little to the left…" Bat said, examined the new position and decided it was good enough. "Brilliant… Oh, this is going to be so perfect" she clapped her hands and started singing a song about three apples that took a bus to Oxford.

"On the whole, I think I would rather listen to Enid trying to sing than Bat" Maud said.

"Thank you" said Enid primly.

"Well…" Mildred said, "You don't sing the right notes. You sing all of the wrong ones"

"I sing all of the _right_ notes" said Enid defensively, "Just not necessarily in the right _order_" and there was a pause before the friends burst into giggles.

"If you are looking for work, you five, I could do with having the chairs put into neat rows" Bat said with a glare.

"Sorry, Miss Bat" they said together, and went to the side of the hall so they could get the chairs to place in rows.

"Do you think we should practice after we finish this?" Ruby suggested.

"I don't want to get HB into one of her moods" Mildred said.

"Not since the time she found you writing a list called…" Jadu frowned. "What was it?" she asked.

"Things I Am Not Allowed To Do At Cackle's Academy" Enid replied. "Millie got to 912 before Hardbroom found it"

"She did like the ones about the Grand Wizard" Maud pointed out.

"I found them all funny" Enid said, "Though I still haven't been able to find out if I have an actress cousin called Jessica Fox" she shrugged.

"One of life's mysteries" Ruby said. "Let's get this done and start practicing. I can't take another load of Bat's singing" to which the others could only agree. The song had changed to a badly off key version of 'The Old Grey Mare' which had reduced one first year girl to burst into tears.

"Is that girl alright?" Bat asked.

"She was overcome with emotion at the way you sang, Miss" Maud said.

"Really?" and Bat started to sing as the others hurried to finish and get out of the hall.

"Where did you learn to lie so well?" Enid asked Maud.

"Hanging around with you" Maud replied seriously.

# # # # #

The witch had planned everything to go well this time around, and there would be no way out for the girls and the staff this time.

Victory would be hers finally…

# # # # #

Lessons ended an hour early before the pantomime was to start, and it was already a hive of activity backstage with people rushing all over. Mildred went and got into her costume which was a yellow skirt with a blue top with red diamonds on it. Her hair was done into a different style and gave herself a coating of bright red lipstick for good measure. She was a little nervous as the starting time came closer and closer, and it wasn't helped by the fact that both Charlie Blossom and Merlin Loopylugs would be amongst the audience. They had both managed to get time off in time to see Mildred and their other friends perform Snow White. As she peaked out of the curtain, she saw them both talking and looking at the programmes that Jadu and Ruby had made up during their spare time.

"There you are, Mildred Hubble" Hardbroom said, and Mildred turned to see Hardbroom holding a small flask which she handed over. "You looked to be nervous when you left my class, so I brewed this for you"

"What is it?" Mildred peered at the contents.

"It is a Calming Draught. You look as if you could do with one, and it will help you to get through this pantomime without any accidents" Hardbroom said.

"Oh… Thank you, Miss Hardbroom" she sipped the contents and felt a little at ease.

"I suggest that you change into different shoes. It has been sometime since I studied the story of Snow White in detail, but I do not recall ever seeing anything that said the heroine was wearing boots the whole time" and Mildred looked down in horror to see that she was still wearing the boots.

"Eeep" she squeaked, drank some of the potion and hurried away. Hardbroom cast a long look around the area backstage before leaving through a side door and going to the teacher's private rooms. As she did so, she became shorter, dumpier and uglier to look upon. The witch looked at a tied up witch on the bed – Hardbroom. It was so easy to get her whilst she was asleep, become her and start a trap that would force her sister to hand over the school to her control. She sent a signal to the others, hoping they would be ready when the time came. Not everybody in the castle would be put under the effects of the fake decorations, but enough to ensure that the takeover was done before people realised it was already begun.

#

The plan, however, did not go as well as could have been expected. A pair of first year students had been told to go to HB's room so they could hand in some work. The door, when they arrived, had been left slightly ajar and they saw the fake HB standing over the drugged and bound real one. As quietly as they could, the pair crept away and hurried to tell Miss Cackle what they both had just seen. Knowing of just two people who would attempt such a thing. Cackle ordered the complete and total evacuation of the castle – leaving her and Bat to battle the witch or witches and revive Hardbroom if at all possible. They gained a few minutes by having the fake Hardbroom search for a pupil that did not exist, and this allowed the pupils, Merlin, Charlie and the three non magical members of staff to get out and into the forest. As soon as the last person left the courtyard, a shield of purple energy surrounded the old building and prevented anyone from getting in or out.

"Do you think they can win on their own?" asked Mildred. She was grateful for the cloak that Merlin had put around her shoulders due to the fact she was still in costume.

"Maybe" said Drill. "I have known Miss Cackle for some years now, and she can beat any old witch whenever she'd like"

"But it isn't any old witch" Enid pointed out. "It has to be a really powerful one if it can take out HB"

"What if it is Miss Cackle's sister?" Jadu put in.

"Or Broomhead" Ruby added.

"We have to go back and help" said Mildred.

"And we'll come too" said Charlie – looking up from an urgent whisper with Merlin.

"I can't allow that, I'm sorry" Drill looked at the bubble over the school.

"With respect, Miss, we are not your pupils" Merlin commented, pushing his glasses higher on his nose.

"I can not possibly allow that, I'm sorry" Drill repeated. "Miss Cackle has made it perfectly clear that we were to wait here until we know who has won"

"You should listen to Miss Drill, children" Mr Blossom said. "I saw too many children being killed a long time ago. I have no desire to see more in my lifetime"

"So… what?" Enid asked. "That's it?"

"That's it, Enid" Drill said.

"Can't be…" Maud shook her head.

"Miss, with all due respect, Miss Cackle is an ass-"

"Be careful what you say Enid Nightshade" Drill cut her off sternly. "She is in charge of the school we are sworn to serve. And, whether we agree or disagree, she has made her decision. Our Headmistress has given us our orders accordingly – I expect you all to carry them out" she looked at the group of friends, shook her head and walked away.

# # # # #

"I thought about quitting a while back" Drill said. She, Blossom, Tapioca and some of the older pupils sat around a fire made from stuff the girls had collected from near the lake.

"After the comments about you from Miss Hardbroom, I am surprised you did not leave earlier" Tapioca said. "I, too, have thought of leaving and to return to my beautiful Italy"

"I could have left years ago and got a better paid job in a normal and non magical school" Drill said. "This isn't the last brave act I wanted to do before leaving Cackle's" the woman added softly, gazing into the flames in thought.

"What kept you here, Miss?" asked Ethel.

"I was a month away from handing in my notice. The only thing that kept me here was…" Drill snorted and shook her head with a sad kind of smile. "Well, lets face it – it was a pretty wild ride"

"Yes, Miss" Jadu said.

"Personally, I don't think we should be getting off that ride just yet" Enid said.

"Enid, we've been though this – I agree with you, but we have our orders"

"They are ill-conceived orders" the girl protested.

"I agree, but they are orders just the same. And I, for one, for orders given to me by those in charge"

"Even though we are the only line of defence to protect the school?" Ruby said.

"I know that" Drill sighed.

"I know you know that, Miss" Enid added. "But you're still just going to chuck it, huh?"

"You don't think I tried everything to stay there as well? I went to Miss Cackle twice – the second time she had me forcibly removed from her office! This discussion is over. I suggest you try to get some sleep before dawn" Drill turned to the other staff members.

# # # # #

"Milly – wake up!" Enid hissed, shaking her friend by the shoulders.

"Enid?" Mildred stirred, blinked and looked at her friend with puzzlement.

"We've been watching the shield around the school" Jadu pointed in the direction of the castle. "It isn't there any more" and Mildred knew there was only one reason why that would happen.

"They lost" she said.

"Either they are all dead or they are captured" Enid said. "We're going to find out what has happened, and if they are captured, set them free again"

"That would go against what Miss Cackle said" Maud said. "We would be suspended the moment we came back"

"If" said Mildred. "_If_ we came back"

"And they can easily find out where we live from our school records" Ruby said. "Merlin and Charlie are going to come with us, but we'd make too much of a sound"

"Can you do that trick that HB does?" Jadu asked her friend. Mildred thought of the love she had for the school and Miss Cackle and decided to go with them.

"I can certainly try" she said. "I'll take us to my room. I need to get out of this" she gestured at her clothing.

# # # # #

Once they arrived in Mildred's room, the group could smell the unique tang of powerful magic. It wasn't just a smell, but also that odd smell that seemed to become a taste as well. They left to let Mildred to change into a uniform, and the others waited in the corridor – hoping that nobody appeared out of the ether. There was, they all agreed, no need to split up and search for the battle as both groups of magical children – wizard and witch – could sense the evil and the power. All they had to do was to follow it back to the source. Walking down corridors in a line with cloaks flapping behind them, they followed the raw magical power to the hall – finding two witches guarding the outside corridor.

"_Quick_!" Jadu whispered, "_In here_" and they dived into the store room next to the hall. They climbed up the ladders and stood on the balcony that Cackle had had Mr Blossom put up after being trapped in there by her sister one too many times. From their vantage point, they looked at what was going on and groaned. The friends saw the three teachers tired up and drugged with some kind of sleeping potion. Their captors were Agatha Cackle, Mistress Broomhead and Miss Pentangle, and it was clear as to what depths they had gone to. All three teachers showed signs of having been tortured, and it pained the girls to see them like this – even Hardbroom. Their form mistress showed the worst signs with shallow breathing, blue lips and skin so pale it was like tissue paper.

"We have to do something" Maud said quietly.

"But what?" asked Jadu. "If we go charging in like a heard of elephants, we'd surely end up like them"

"What if we caused a distraction?" asked Merlin. "Some of us could fire spells from up here whilst the others charge in"

"That's assuming we can get in there and do it all before the others pour in" Charlie pointed out. "We have only seen these three and the two outside. They are surely going to have more followers"

"Cant we take the guards out first and then run inside?" Ruby suggested.

"They'd hear them falling and become alerted" said Enid.

"I have an idea" Mildred said, "But it is going to take time"

"We better hurry" said Ruby. "I don't like the look of HB"

"_None_ of us like the sight of HB" Maud said.

"Touché" Charlie smiled. "What's the plan?" he asked Mildred.

"We get down from here and take off our shoes and boots" the girl replied. "Then, after cancelling the noise our footsteps make, we get to the staff room and climb out of the window"

"And do what?" Merlin frowned, his expression, combined with his glasses, gave him the impression of a confused Professor.

"That lets us out into the back courtyard" Mildred said. "We creep over and grab some brooms. We fly back to the hall, fly in from different sides and hope to take them by surprise. We should be able to get one of them – if not two. The other one will be surrounded and forced to surrender"

"And the others in the castle?" Ruby asked.

"As Enid would say, 'I'll get back to you on that'. This is kind of a work in progress" Mildred shrugged.

"Sounds like the best option that we have at the moment" said Enid. "Let's do it" and they began their plan.

#

The plan had to change when they saw more witches walking around the corridors, so Mildred suggested going in for the full frontal assault method – and to hell with the consequences! Mildred had teleported to the Potion storeroom and grabbed a small handful of Dragonite – an explosive substance much akin to Dynamite.

"If memory serves" Enid said thoughtfully, "Miss Cackle once told us that Pentangle was weaker then she was at casting ability"

"I remember that as well" Maud said. "One person should be enough for her"

"Leaving the rest of us to take on Broomhead and Agatha Cackle" Mildred said. "At least they should be weakened from attacking Cackle, Bat and Hardbroom" she shrugged. "We should try to put up a wall of magic between them and us – giving those three chance to recover" and they took a deep breath and then blew the doors off the hinges – flying inside with spells ripping through the air.

"So…" Broomhead sneered. "The little brats have come to fight us" she fired off a spell that Jadu only just deflected. Charlie returned the compliment by hitting the former Ofwitch official with an Ice white beam of pure magic – causing her great pain when it hit her. "A Wizard as well?" Broomhead wiped some blood from her mouth. "I would like to stay and chat, but I have work to do. Agatha, finish them off"

#

There was a chamber so secret that only Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom knew of it. It contained crystals essential to the safe running of the school. Each contained a different and power brand of ancient magic that protected the school from great and terrible harm. Each spell and ward was tied in to the magical signature of the current headmistress, and that is where the problem was. Because Agatha and Amelia were identical twins down to their signatures, the school could not tell the difference between the two sisters. Agatha had already placed the entire system offline – Broomhead had simply to reset some of them before replacing three crystals with some of her own design. Once that was done, she and her coven of witches would have complete control of the castle, staff and, most importantly, the students.

"With those fools eliminated, we shall inherit the world" Broomhead laughed – cut off as a wall suddenly burst apart and, through the swirling dust and debris, came a lone figure.

"You can't do this – _I_ won't yet you" Mildred stepped into the room – power emanating from her body – much like radio waves.

"You are nothing but a child" Broomhead said. "I despise children like you"

"You are nothing but a bully and somebody who only got a good job by using connections and family favours" Mildred's quiet voice spoke volumes of contempt for a person who had, on multiple occasions, tried to destroy everything that she and her friends had worked so hard to achieve.

"Oh? And I suppose you are going to kill me?" Broomhead sneered at Mildred, preparing a spell behind her back. "You don't have the power to hurt a fly, you stupid bitch of a girl" and fired the spell which slammed Mildred to the floor with a horrible crunching of bones.

"Is…" Mildred coughed up blood as she stood up, "… the best you can do?"

"If you fight me, I shall not show mercy until you are dead"

"Fine" Mildred fired back, "To the death it is…"

#

"Miss Hardbroom?" Maud shook her teacher awake.

"Maud… Maud Moonshine?" Hardbroom looked at her with a dazed look. "What are you doing here? What is going on around here?" she asked.

"School was attacked by a bunch of evil witches, you, Miss Bat and Miss Cackle stayed to fight them while we headed for safety. We decided that you couldn't possibly be that good, so we came back and battled them before they killed the three of you" Enid said.

"You disobeyed instructions, put yourselves in danger _and_…" Enid cringed, "You have, no doubt, saved us all. How is Miss Cackle?" Hardbroom looked at the older witch being helped into a chair by Charlie and Jadu.

"I am perfectly alright, Constance. I fear that Davina may need some time to recover" Cackle looked to the bound figures of her sister and Pentangle. "I thought you said that there were three people attacking us?" she asked.

"More to the point" Ruby looked around the room, "Where exactly is Mildred?" and, just at the same moment, Cackle felt something touching her mind and informing her of events.

"The warding chamber – Mistress Broomhead is trying to use the wards against us! Quick, we must hurry or we are all doomed" and they left the bound and gagged witches where they lay as the group rushed to the warding chamber.

#

They found Mildred in her own blood bleeding heavily from deep cuts all over her body, and a quick examination spell revealed that she had severe internal injuries. Huge gouges in the stone walls bore testament to the power that had been wielded in some great battle and debris littered the floor like tiny building blocks.

"I don't see Broomhead anywhere" Charlie looked as much as he could.

"Look here" said Jadu, pointing to a trail of blood that led out of a hole in one wall.

"She must be trying to escape" Maud said.

"After her!" Enid said, running to follow the trail and catch up with the evil witch before she could escape the school. They found her in the courtyard, but the group kept their distance from her – knowing a wounded animal, or a wounded witch in this case, was far more dangerous.

"You could all have been great, you fools, but you simply could not understand the power and opportunities that I offered you" Broomhead grimaced through the pain inflicted by Mildred.

"Give it up and we will treat you fairly" said Cackle.

"_Like hell _I_ will_" muttered Hardbroom quietly.

"You may have won this round, but I will be back with larger numbers of witches. Mark my words, and mark them well… I _will_ be victorious, I _will_ win and I _will_ destroy any and all of you that dares to get in my way" she turned round to head out of the gate. She got all of one foot when Mildred appeared, like Broomhead and Hardbroom, out of the ether with a look of mocking and loathing for the woman that stood in front of her. "Are you prepared to die, little girl?" she sneered. Mildred looked down at her feet as the others watched the interaction silently. "I guessed not" Broomhead said, making a movement to push Mildred away.

"Guess again!" Mildred leapt forwards, wrapped her arms around the older witch. Broomhead saw the true power that Mildred had at her command. "Time to retire" the girl smirked. Then, with a last look on the faces of the people she loved – comprehension beginning to dawn on the faces of some, she reached deep into her magical powers and blew up – killing herself and taking Broomhead out with her.

"MILDRED, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" the group had to stop Charlie, Maud and Enid from running inside the range of the explosion. All three of them struggled to break free and to get there and hopefully save their friend.

"Oh my gods…" Jadu said. Those still capable of working threw up shields which stopped the debris shredding into them, and also helped to keep the smoke away from them. The noise was unbearable, but they had to put up with it. The price that Mildred had paid was clear the moment everything settled – there was now a large and smoking crater twelve feet deep in the courtyard – nothing of either witch had survived.

"Why…?" asked Maud.

"She knew what the price was that had to be paid" Hardbroom spoke quietly. "Everything that she has ever done has been to protect you and this school"

"It was the only way that Broomhead could be stopped permanently" Cackle said. "If she had left, she would have been able to gather as many people together as was possible and strike at us – showing no mercy to anybody inside" and they stood and watched with tears rolling down their eyes, over faces and dropping to the ground as the crater continued to smoke.

"I guess that is that - Mildred is dead and the school is saved" Hardbroom said. Maud took exception to that and slapped her Form Mistress so hard that the sound was like a rifle shot.

"You bastard" and she walked away.

"You hated her, didn't you, Miss?" Enid looked at Hardbroom.

"Mistress Broomhead?"

"Mildred"

"No…" Hardbroom shook her head and wiped the tears that came from some previously unknown part of her. "… no, Enid Nightshade… It was never _hate_…"

#

The rest of the school came back after hearing the explosion, though Drill had refused to allow them to do so. Ethel simply argued that, if Miss Cackle had won they'd take the punishments. If Broomhead, Agatha Cackle and the others had won, then there was very little point in running anyway.

"Better to die with honour" the normally snooty girl had said. They came through the gate and came upon the huge hole in the ground. Mildred's friends stood and gazed at the hole, though what they were looking at was up for speculation. Despite it being over half an hour since the final act, it still smouldered a little and this added to the confusion.

"What happened here?" asked Drusilla.

"Broomhead is dead" said Charlie. "Milly… Milly st-" he couldn't finished and burst into a fresh set of tears.

"Where's Hubble Bubble?" Ethel looked around the courtyard. In reply, the friends simply pointed to the hole. Ethel peered into it but found no body. "I don't see anything" she said.

"You wouldn't" Ruby swallowed. "She teleported in front of Broomhead, wrapped her arms around her and then blew herself up"

"She saved us all…" Jadu said.

"Dead…?" Drill had heard the last bit of the discussion. "Mildred Hubble dead?"

"Yes" and then group walked away and left the rest of the school shaken and looking at the last place Mildred had been on the planet.

#

"I think we should send the girls home as soon as possible" said Cackle, holding a meeting of all the staff in the staffroom.

"I agree" Hardbroom said. "The sooner they are away from here the better"

"I still can not believe that Mildred is gone…" Drill said. "I kind of guessed that one of _you_ would die, but never one of our students" she looked at Cackle. "I should have tried to keep them from coming back more forcibly. I resign, Miss Cackle. You will have my formal resignation on your desk by the morning. I shall come back for a memorial service, of course, but I don't think I should like to be here any more"

"_Resign_?" Hardbroom looked at the only non witch in the room. "You can not simply resign, Miss Drill" she said.

"Do you want to argue about this, or would you like Maud Moonshine to give you a matching slap on the other cheek?" Drill asked.

"Oh shut up the pair of you" Miss Bat said. "You are both acting like little children. Amelia, I suggest we hold a memorial service in the morning – before the girls go home" the shock of the death of Mildred had seemed to make her much more alert and normal.

"I think the girls would like that, Davina. Would you ensure that Mildred's friends are sitting in the front row?" Cackle dismissed the staff and returned to her office – placing orders on the door for her to be left alone.

# # # # #

"I can't believe what happened" said Maud.

"We have to accept it – we all saw it" Enid said. "Mildred is dead"

"I meant me hitting Miss Hardbroom"

"Ah…" shrugged Jadu, "She has been asking for it"

"I didn't hear her requesting a slap" smiled Charlie, weakly. They had, with no other place to go, gathered in Mildred's room. Ruby looked at the sleeping Tabby and wondered what was going to happen to him.

"Do you think Hardbroom would have her put down?" she asked.

"I wouldn't put it past her" Enid said. "She thinks Tabby is as much a problem as Mildred"

"I'll look after him" said Charlie. "I think Mildred would have been alright with that" and the others nodded.

"Oh…" the door creaked open and admitted Ethel Hallow.

"What are _you_ doing here, Hallow?" demanded Maud.

"I came to apologise for how I treated Mildred the last few years"

"Damned sight a bit late for that" Enid said.

"Yes… I guess I am" Ethel looked at the others facing her. "I… I did it because I wanted the attention. I had to try so hard in everything in order to please my father because he pushed me so hard. You think he loved me and Sybil because we are his daughters?" the girl snorted. "He only liked us because we helped his social status and his business one as well. Hubble…? She had everything that I ever wanted and more…"

"What was that?" asked Jadu.

"She had a family"

# # # # #

"Where am I?" Mildred stood up from the white floor and found herself wearing an all covering golden cream gown.

"Ah… I have been expecting you for some time" said the voice of a powerful man. He stepped out of the brilliant light to reveal himself.

"Oh, my God" Mildred breathed.

"You _do_ reconise me" the man said. "I was beginning to wonder" he chuckled lightly. "Tell me, child, what do you see around you?" and Mildred was about to reply she could see nothing when the light blinded her before dying down to reveal the Potion Lab of the school.

"I see Cackle's Academy" Mildred frowned. "But where is everyone?" she asked.

"They are in the real world" God said. "This is merely a setting that will make you more comfortable and help your adjustment. It will change things according to your will"

"The battle!" Mildred became panicked. "Is Broomhead stopped? Did I stop her? Is it over?"

"Yes, Yes and Yes" God said. "Despite your injuries, Mildred, you were able to stop Broomhead from escaping"

"Then I am dead?"

"I am afraid that is so, my child. This whole environment is of your making" God gestured around the Potion Lab. To Mildred, it was just like being in the real one! The sight, the smells, the sounds… Everything was simply so real…

"I'm going to miss my friends" the girl unexpectantly burst into tears. God put an arm around her and gave her some comfort.

"Yours was a selfless act…" he said. "Take comfort in knowing that what you did was right"

"How can I take comfort in never being able to see Charlie and En- my friends again?" Mildred sobbed.

"You love Charlie and Enid as more then just friends?"

"How do you know?"

"I am God – I know and do everything"

"Can I ask you a question?" Mildred pulled away and wiped her eyes with tissues she was certain were not there before.

"You already have done so, but I am certain that it will not do too much harm to ask another"

"I was always brought up to think you are kind, generous and thoughtful. If that is the case, why have you allowed wars to happen? It's simple enough for you to smite them with a thunderbolt or something"

"I can't answer that" God said, "Ask another" and Mildred thought long and hard about it.

"You are right when you said I like Charlie and Enid as more then just friends, but if I love Enid, doesn't that mean I go to hell? Being a lesbian should mean I go straight to hell"

"What does your heart say?"

"To ignore what others say"

"Then I suggest that you listen to it, Mildred Hubble"

"But how?"

"I am going to send you back, dear. You killed yourself, that is true, but it was for a greater good and for the safety of the entire world that you did so. I think that earns you a second chance" God felt Mildred hug him – something he hadn't felt in several hundred years. "I do want to ask _you_ a question, however"

"Anything"

"I sent my son Jesus down to your planet one thousand nine hundred and sixty four years ago. What did you do to him?" God created the image of a man that fitted the known descriptions of Jesus. He was hugging himself tightly and sobbing heavily. "He hasn't been the same since he came back"

#

"We gather here today to pay respects to our honoured dead. Mildred Hubble gave up her life for everyone in this hall, the rest of the country and, perhaps, even the entire world. Her death was in the shadow of a new world, one without evil and one for freedom. She did not feel her sacrifice a vain or empty one, and we will not debate her profound wisdom at these proceedings" Miss Cackle paused to look at the entire hall – wearing full formal robes for the occasion. Charlie had borrowed a spare hat and cloak to wear. "Of Mildred, I could only say this: Of all the souls of all the girls I have had the pleasure of teaching, her's was the most… Human" she paused to compose herself. "If anybody else would like to say a few words they are welcome to do so" but nobody moved.

"Now that's rude" said a voice. People gasped to see Mildred appear in front of them wearing the dress she had worn in Heaven.

"Mildred Hubble…? But how…?" Miss Cackle spoke in a whisper.

"I find it very undignified to arrive late at one's own funeral, Miss Cackle" Mildred laughed. "I got a second chance at life. There is more I could say, but I am afraid that it is forbidden to say except my loved ones"

"Loved ones…?"

"Tell you later" Mildred grabbed Charlie and Enid and pulled them out of the hall behind her.

#

"I knew you liked Charlie" Enid said, "But I didn't know that you liked me as well" and Mildred blushed heavily and looked down before returning her gaze to her friend.

"I don't know if you feel the same about me, Enid, but I can't help thinking of you a lot of the time – same as Charlie" she said. "When I went after Broomhead, all I wanted to do was keep my friends safe – especially the pair of you"

"You are being quiet about this" Enid said to Charlie. "What have you got to say?"

"Two girls? Isn't that supposed to be every man's fantasy?" he replied. "I kind of figured Milly liked you anyway"

"How?" asked both girls at once.

"Little things mostly. The way you talk and act around each other" Charlie shrugged. "The handkerchief that smells of Enid under Mildred's pillow…"

"So that is what it was…" Enid muttered. "So, what do we do about this?"

"Huh?" Mildred frowned. "I don't understand" and the other two smiled.

"I think Enid is saying where do we go from here" Charlie said. "We've got one year at our respective schools left and I suppose we could get a room together at Weirdsister" and Mildred's expression became one of hopefulness and joy.

"You mean that us three…?" she looked between Charlie and Enid.

"It is unconventional" Enid said, "But I am, if nothing else, unconventional myself. I am willing to give it a go if you two are"

"Suits me" Charlie said.

"Alright" was what Mildred was able to stammer out.


End file.
